Rep. Ryan: Prospects for Progress if We Stay the Course

I just returned from visiting Afghanistan as part of a
bipartisan congressional delegation, my third visit to the region
since American forces and our allies liberated Afghanistan from
Taliban rule. Every time I go, I return with a new appreciation of
the challenges faced by our troops and the Afghan people.

Working together with 48 other countries, including our NATO
allies, we are helping the Afghan people deny safe haven to
Islamist extremists, who have in the past made terrorism
Afghanistan's number one export.

Unquestionably, the highlight of the trip was seeing firsthand the
courage and dedication of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
marines. Every day, working in harsh conditions, these men and
women take great risks to defend the United States and help the
Afghan people. I had the opportunity to meet with many
Wisconsinites during my trip, and I'm proud to have these young men
and women representing our state and our nation to the world.

In the nearly 10 years since my first visit, the progress
Afghanistan has made is inspiring: Women walk unveiled and without
fear. Crowded markets and traffic jams indicate slow but real
progress. Child mortality has dropped by 25% in the last decade,
and there are now 8 million students in school nationwide -
including 2.9 million girls.

To be sure, these gains have come with heavy sacrifices - thousands
of Americans have given their lives, and many more have been
injured. One way we can honor these sacrifices is by finishing what
these brave service members have started.

Make no mistake: The justification for our post-9/11 intervention
in Afghanistan remains valid today. If the Taliban and its allies,
al Qaeda and the Haqqani Network, regain control of Afghanistan,
they would again be able to focus on attacking America instead of
fighting for their own survival.

President Obama has announced a U.S. force reduction in
Afghanistan, but the timing of this withdrawal seems to be driven
more by the 2012 election than by facts on the ground. Today, we
have about 96,000 troops in Afghanistan, a number scheduled to
decrease to 68,000 by September 2012. As one battalion commander in
Helmand Province told me, we're at the peak of security today, at
current troop levels. Any decision on troop levels should be based
on security needs - not a campaign-inspired race for the
exits.

Furthermore, the September 2012 deadline means that we'll be
conducting a withdrawal in the heart of the fighting season in
Afghanistan - right when our remaining forces will need the most
support. I heard from troops up and down the chain of command who
were hopeful that they would see force levels remain stable through
the next fighting season, rather than seeing their combat strength
steadily sapped over the course of next year.

Afghanistan will eventually need to be able to defend itself
without a U.S. military presence. We can help through the Afghan
Local Police program and through Village Stabilization Operations.
These programs draw on the unique abilities of our special forces
to live in Afghan villages and help communities maintain day-to-day
security. By living with the people, these forces build the
confidence of the populace and provide a critical link back to
invaluable U.S capabilities such as combat air support and medical
evacuation. Programs like these hold the promise of an Afghanistan
that can one day provide for its own security.

A transition plan is in place for Afghan forces to take control of
the country's security in 2014. Even as we work toward that point,
it is important to remember that our nation's commitment to
Afghanistan isn't likely to end there. Our nation's troops and
resources will continue to support the Afghan people for years to
come - not to engage in nation-building, but to mitigate the risk
posed by the region's extremists to our own national
security.

I remain confident that we can achieve our goal in Afghanistan if
we have the political will and strategic patience to finish the
job. Anything less would be a betrayal of those who have lost their
lives in the cause of Afghanistan's freedom, not to mention the
safety and security of the American people.